With two weeks left in the regular season, Van Buren continues to work to improve.

Pointers coach Brooks Coatney knows Van Buren must eliminate two areas that have haunted the team all season — turnovers on offense (21 for a minus-14 turnover ratio) and missed tackles on defense.

“We’ve shot ourselves in the foot. We need to play a game where we do not turn the ball over and make the tackles like we’re supposed to,” Coatney said. “If we do those things, then we can be in the game with a chance to win. At least the outcomes have a chance to be different.”

What is not different is the Pointers will face another strong 7A/6A-West foe in Heritage. The War Eagles are making a late-season playoff push, starting with last week’s impressive 43-10 win at Springdale.

Heritage (4-4, 2-3), though, should have had a better record. In the previous two weeks before the Springdale game, the War Eagles lost in the final minutes to Fayetteville (28-27) and Bentonville (13-10).

“We saw on the film last week how well they played against Bentonville,” Coatney said. “They had that game won until the final minute of the game. They led Fayetteville until the (fourth-quarter) kickoff return. Their record does not reflect how good they really are. They have been in every conference game they have played.”

Since opening as Rogers’ second high school in 2008, Heritage has been coached by Perry Escalante. The War Eagles have been competitive and reached the playoffs three times in that five-year span.

“They have a strong offseason program and a good work ethic,” Coatney said. “We know we are up against a really good football team.”

Because the 7A/6A-West is so strong, Coatney said no one in this league can overlook anyone.

“We have to worry about ourselves and what we do well and not worry about who our opponent is,” Coatney said. “In this conference, all of our opponents are very good. We’ve got to go into each ball game trying to win, but also trying to look at how we can improve and get better.”

Offensively, the War Eagles are led by senior quarterback Josh Qualls, a three-year starter who has thrown for 1,422 yards and 17 touchdowns, as well as senior running back Brandon Gates, the 7A/6A-West’s leading rusher with 1,362 and 11 touchdowns.

“Qualls has been a good quarterback for three years. He’s smart and an above-average athlete,” Coatney said. “I would say without question he is the best quarterback in the conference. He has shown he is a premier player in our league, just like (Deandre) Murray is at Springdale.”

Coatney said the Pointers will continue to use the strong running of senior back Tyrone Joseph, who is eighth in the conference with 604 yards and eight touchdowns. If Van Buren can keep the came close, his running becomes more of a factor.

“Our (offensive line) has improved tremendously as the season has gone along. Give credit to them and the way our backs have run the ball,” Coatney said. “You are only in a rhythm on offense when you are making first downs. That also keeps your defense off the field for long stretches.”